San Francisco Giants update: Brandon Belt will play winter ball after all

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The San Francisco Giants’ Brandon Belt watches his high pop fly against the Chicago Cubs in the second inning at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif. on Monday, August 29, 2011. The ball was caught for an out. (Dan Honda/Staff)

SAN DIEGO — Brandon Belt wasn’t excited when Giants officials broached the subject of playing winter ball. But the rookie had a change of heart after meeting with manager Bruce Bochy on Wednesday.

Now the reticent Texan is looking forward to his first trip out of the U.S. in a few months, when he’ll head to the Dominican Republic.

“After talking with him, I really think it’s going to make me a better player,” said Belt, who was working with the Giants to find a roster spot. “If it’s the best thing for me, then it’s important that I go. There’s a lot I can work on, and it’d probably be for just half a season.”

Belt missed a month with a broken wrist and hasn’t always been an everyday player when healthy during his four stints with the Giants this season. It’s been a mentally exhausting season, and he was looking forward to taking a break.

But he has struggled to compete against breaking pitches; recent call-up Justin Christian said he benefited from facing tons of offspeed pitches in hitter’s counts in the Mexican League this past winter.

Bochy believes that Belt will soak up something else of value while performing in a competitive, fervent atmosphere, too.

“He knows how I feel,” Bochy said. “I feel strongly it could benefit him at this point in his career.”

The Giants will open the 2012 season at Arizona on April 6 and play their home opener April 13 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to a tentative schedule obtained by Bay Area News Group.

The Giants will compete against the A.L. West in interleague play, with a home series against the Texas Rangers June 8-10, followed by a nine-game road trip to Seattle, Anaheim and Oakland June 15-24.

Brian Wilson threw 22 pitches at nearly full intensity off a mound Wednesday and did not report problems with his inflamed right elbow. Wilson is expected to throw off a mound one more time Friday or Saturday before the Giants schedule a simulated inning for him.